BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Department is reiterating its advice to operators of fast food businesses to ensure that they periodically and regularly clean their deep fry apparatuses.
The reminder comes in light of a fire that took place yesterday afternoon (Jun. 17) on Victoria Road, Basseterre.
Acting Fire Chief Everette O’Garro told SKNVibes that the Basseterre branch of the Department received an emergency call at about 3:35 p.m. and, upon responding, the dispatched unit met flames and smoke emanating from the kitchen of a small restaurant located in the vicinity of Radio St. Kitts.
He reported that the restaurant is operated by one Nigel Arthurton.
He said the team quickly took to work and dealt with the fire and it was discovered that a deep fryer had ignited while being used.
The fire resulted in a portion of the ceiling in the kitchen area being destroyed along with some kitchen utensils.
O’Garro stressed that the need for preventative measures to be taken by owners and operators of restaurants and fast-food establishments is of paramount importance.
“We want to advise proprietors of restaurants to make sure they periodically clean their deep fry equipment. If not, the build-up of combustible fats and oils will eventually ignite which could result in loss of property or even life. This ignition is usually sudden and explosive and result in loss of property and even personal injury.”
The Acting Fire Chief added that the proprietors should invest in appropriate fire-extinguishing agents.
Earlier in this year, another fast-food/guest house enterprise was considerably damaged after a deep fryer ignited. And at that point, O’Garro advised that Class K fire extinguishers be kept by those businesses that operate kitchens.
